News Releases

(WASHINGTON) — With revolutionary technologies poised to change the way we drive, the 2017 Washington Auto Show® (WAS) will present MobilityTalks® International—a pre-show symposium on emerging trends connecting drivers with city infrastructures for safer and smarter transportation. This symposium, slated for Tuesday, Jan. 24 through Wednesday, Jan. 25, will address best practices in the field of new mobility and will be a key feature of The Washington Auto Show’s Public Policy Preview Days that advance the 10-day public show.

“This landmark event will focus on the future of mobility, which lies at the intersection of government and industry,” said Geoff Pohanka, President and CEO of Pohanka Automotive Group and 2017 Washington Auto Show Chair. “Forward-thinking government leadership will come together with industry innovators for this three-part program.”

The first section, on Tuesday, will present a full-day peer-to-peer exchange, with multiple breakout sessions on best practices and include a networking reception. An additional program takes place Wednesday on Capitol Hill with a reprisal of last year’s panel discussion, “MobilityTalks 2.0 – It Depends on What the Regulators Do.” Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) will lead a discussion among policy makers and industry leaders on such cutting-edge topics as cybersecurity, legal liability and standards cooperation.

And on Tuesday and Wednesday, the show will present the Interactive Mobility Experience Ride & Drive at the D.C. Armory and RFK Stadium. The Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP) will provide vehicles offering the latest technologies in safety and autonomous driving.

Public Policy Preview Days culminate with a daylong schedule of press conferences Thursday, Jan. 26 at the show site: The Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The day begins with the annual Newsmaker Breakfast sponsored by the International Motor Press Association (IMPA) and Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA) and culminates with the “Sneak Peek” reception for officials in government, industry and media.

The Eno Center for Transportation will host its Capitol Convergence Conference where panelists will discuss new transportation technologies and how those technologies ultimately affect the economy and environment as a whole. For the ninth year, SAE International will co-locate its Government/Industry Meeting with The WAS.

The Washington Auto Show, www.washingtonautoshow.com, the largest consumer show in DC, will open to the public from Friday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 5.